Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

Alastriona observes the city from the driver's bench (or the boot, if the tortle takes up too much room), silently gazing upon the buildings and people.

Vatra’s yellow eyes widen as he dons the cape, noticing the spread before them.

"Ooh is that the Bacardi Reserva Limitada? I haven't had a chance to try this yet. The young man goes to uncorck the bottle and and draws in a deep breath through his nose taking in the sweet scent. "This will wait until after our task is done. A fine celebratory reward." Vatra pockets the bottle in has pack for later consumption.

Noticing the wand, "This looks pretty neat as well. If no one else wants it I’ll be happy to hang on to it."

The wide Tortle knight reluctantly slides over to make room for Alastriona in the driver's cab.

"Well at least I won't have to make idle chit chat with this one." she moans.

Alastriona stares at Sir Talulah for an uncomfortable period of time. While the tortle is focused on the road, Alastriona slowly reaches up a finger to try and touch the shell, before quickly bringing her hand back down and staring straight ahead when it seems like she'd be caught.

"The Yawning Portal? Of course my Lady," Talulah says politely to Xelia as she pulls the reins on the two black Sembian draft horses. Once she shuts the window, she turns to Alastriona. "Really, the Yawning Portal? How typical. All this city's trouble seems to begin and end in that damned place!" She finds herself unnerved by Alastriona's silence and awkward invasion of personal space.

The journey through the main thoroughfares of the city is swift. Alastriona is treated to views of hawkers, entertainers, and patrollers. A flight of Griffon Riders streaks across the sky as you approach the Yawning Portal, on their way back to Castle Waterdeep.

The wounded Renaer brings the Kenku prisoner out of the Tavern and into the carriage. He is impressed.

"Wow, I don't know what you all told Remi, but obviously you struck a chord with her. Well done."

He exchanges familiar pleasantries with Talulah and comes aboard with the prisoner, who fulfills his end of the bargain and gives the location of the Xanathar Guild hideout. All the while, he interjects Thieves' Cant with Stitches.Following Hatchet-Cut's instructions, the carriage returns to the dilapidated Dock Ward and comes to a stop on Spices Street, only a few of blocks south from the Skewered Dragon. You had almost forgot the smell of this ward, having spent the last two hours in perfumed mansions. Hatchet-cut shows you the grate in the ground that leads to a drainage sewer which apparently leads to the hideout.

"Follow the yellow signs in the sewers," he repeats in a thin, nasally voice. "I be taking me leave now, aye?" he says in a heavy Lantan accent.

Alastriona stares at the sky as the Griffon Riders soar past, her gaze wistfully lingering on their passage. The rest of her journey finds her attention fixated upon the empty air above them.

She snaps out of her silent meditation as the carriage comes to a stop. She looks at Talulah in study, gives a slow nod, then hops down off the driver's bench. From within her bag, she pulls out the black cloak and wraps it around her shoulders, leaving her shawl draped upon her head. Alastriona walks over to the grate in the ground, looks to the Xanathar kenku, then crouches to inspect the grate's opening mechanism.

The grate seems solid at first, but after a few moments, you find you can reposition it into a groove that allows it to slide free. The opening is large enough for you all to squeeze through. Renaer wishes you go luck and Talulah grunts indifferently as you climb in.

Rats scurry about as you descend into the well-worn stone sewer. A putrid stream flows along this sewer tunnel, which leads in two directions. In one direction, you see a tiny symbol drawn on the wall in chalk: a palm-sized circle with ten equidistant spokes radiating out from its circumference — a stylized representation of Xanathar. You follow the symbols, descending deep into the city’s labyrinthine sewers.

After twenty minutes of following these symbols, you come to a three-way intersection where a ladder leads up into a stone shaft capped by a circular metal cover. One of the familiar chalk symbols is marked on a wall nearby, and floating near the symbol is a spherical, grapefruit-sized creature with a bulging central eye and four stumpy eyestalks. Given that you are operating in pure darkness* and stealthing your way through the tunnels, you are fairly certain it hasn't noticed you yet.

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* I'm assuming Stitches takes the Goggles of Night

Prince points to the creature in case anyone hasn't spotted it yet.

Alastriona looks from Prince to the creature, then back to Prince with a confused expression. Finally, she shrugs, and steps out from cover to approach the floating thing.

As Alastriona approaches the creature Butler levels his crossbow, readying a shot if it makes any hostile moves.

Prince slaps his own forehead when Alastriona breaks cover and approaches the creature. Of course she was going to misinterpret that! Should've gotten a crossbow! he berates himself.

Alastriona strides out into plain view of the Gazer, which startles it something fierce. It seems uncertain whether it can take Alastriona or not and ends up trapped by its indecision.

She draws her sickle-shaped longsword, and in a continuation of the motion, Alastriona slashes upward at the floating eye-creature.

Butler snaps of a quick shot as the gazer hesitates.

The Gazer dodges Alastriona's blade only to run into Butler's bolt.

"What a terrible, frightful looking creature."

The Gazer is apparently comfortable enough in its own green, mottled skin to disregard Xelia's scathing words.

"Frightful? It looks like a goblin booger with eyes!"